Chris lay in the hospital bed, his body weak and frail, with only the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor and the sound of his shallow breaths to break the silence. His once-vibrant blue eyes were now dull and sunken, and his skin had taken on a yellowish hue.

As he lay there, his mind raced with regret and sadness. He had always thought he had more time, more opportunities to live life to the fullest. But now, as he lay dying in this sterile hospital room, he realized that he had squandered his time and his health, and there was no going back.

The doctor's voice broke through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present moment. "Mr. Blackwood, I'm afraid there's nothing more we can do for you. Even if you had the money, it would be too late."

Chris felt a lump form in his throat as the doctor's words sank in. He had always known that his financial situation was precarious, but he had never imagined that it would come down to this.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sound of the doctor's voice and the reality of his situation. He wished he could turn back the clock and make different choices, to take better care of himself and his health. But it was too late for that now.

He had truly been a disappointment to his family, he wishes he could have supported them better, but the ailment he had was too much, cost too much. He couldn't bare to ask them for help, he would cripple them.

He spent his life trying to find money, when he heard he was ill years ago he thought it was still possible - to amass the amount of money needed to cure it.

'Seriously... what is in that medicine that costs £17,300,000... must be some miracle fluid that gives you everlasting immortality.' He thought the same thing many times throughout his life, but now will be the last.

As he lay there, with the weight of his mortality bearing down on him, Chris felt a sense of desperation wash over him. He wasn't ready to die, not yet. But as the beeping of the heart monitor slowed, he knew that his time was running out, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

As he closed his eyes, he took a deep breath and tried to find some sense of peace amidst the chaos of his thoughts. He thought about all the things he had done wrong in his life and all the things he wished he had done differently.

With a calm acceptance, Chris let out a final sigh and closed his eyes. His body felt lighter, as if he was being lifted up from the bed. A sense of warmth enveloped him, and he felt as if he was floating. For a brief moment, he wondered if this was what death felt like.

With one final exhale, Chris closed his eyes for what was supposed to be his final time. He hoped that wherever he was going next, it would be better than this. And with that thought, he slipped into the void of death, leaving behind the memories of his life and the regrets of what could have been.

***

Chris's eyes snapped open, and he sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. His chest heaved as he struggled to get his bearings. The last thing he remembered was closing his eyes on his deathbed, accepting that this was it.

But now, as he looked around, he realized that he wasn't in the hospital. He wasn't on death's door. Instead, he found himself back 10 years ago, in his old apartment. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table, and his heart skipped a beat. It was 7:30 AM in the morning.

For a moment, he couldn't make sense of what was happening. Was this some sort of hallucination, a product of his dying mind? But as he looked around, he saw the familiar surroundings of his old life. The tattered couch, the posters on the wall, the dingy kitchenette.

With a sense of both confusion and excitement, Chris realized that this was real. He had been given a second chance, a chance to relive his life and do things differently.

He swung his legs out of bed, feeling the cool floor beneath his feet. He had no idea what the future held, no idea what he should do next. But one thing was for certain: he wasn't going to waste this opportunity.

Chris blinked in surprise as he glanced down at his phone. The date read March 12, 2033. That was the release date of Valtara, the game that had consumed so much of his life in the years to come.

He couldn't believe it. Was this some sort of cosmic joke? Or was this the universe giving him a chance to change his fate? Either way, he knew what he had to do. He had to play Valtara again, but this time, he would do it differently. He wouldn't let himself be tied down to a second-rate guild like True Valour. He wouldn't scramble for money or sell his soul to pay for medical bills.

Chris took a deep breath and steadied himself. He had to be careful, to make the right choices. He had to remember that this was his second chance, and he couldn't afford to waste it.

Chris jumped out of bed and scrambled around his room, his heart racing with excitement. He knew that he had to act fast if he was going to change his fate in Valtara. He quickly threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, his fingers fumbling as he tried to tie his shoelaces.

As he ran out the door, he realized that he had forgotten his keys and wallet. He quickly doubled back, grabbing them from the kitchen counter and stuffing them into his pockets. His mind was racing as he tried to think of the best way to get his hands on the DVR headset.

He knew that he couldn't waste any time. He had to act fast if he was going to make the most of his second chance. Back at this time he heard that a local store had just received a new shipment of the headsets, back then he didn't care because he couldn't believe that a game could be as life changing as it was, and he didn't know how much they would cost.

At the time when he bought his in his previous life, it cost around £500. But that was years after it was released and the price would have been much higher at the start when there was not much stock available and a ridiculously high demand.

Chris ran down the street, his breath coming in short gasps as he sprinted towards the store. His heart was pounding in his chest as he burst through the doors, his eyes scanning the shelves for the headset.

'There it is!' His eyes locked with a box labeled, "VALTARA, the second world gaming experience." with the first edition packaging that would change from each shipment to shipment, it didn't mean anything to have a first edition packaging, just that you are an OG and a flex.

He spotted it in the corner, and he quickly made his way over to it. The price tag made him wince - it was more than he had expected, and he knew that he was spending his last bit of money on it. But he also knew that it was worth it.

'There it is!' His eyes locked with a box labeled, "VALTARA, the second world gaming experience." with the first edition packaging that would change from each shipment to shipment, it didn't mean anything to have a first edition packaging, just that you are an OG and a flex.

In his past life he had the 10932nd edition, because he jumped on the band wagon far too late, it was one of his downfalls, as when he joined the game it had already been explored, capitalised, and exploited.

But now, things were different.

He grabbed the headset and rushed to the counter, his hands shaking as he handed over his money. He knew that his parents would be disappointed if they found out how he had spent his last bit of money, but he also knew that he was making the right choice. He had been sent back in time for this, and he wasn't going to waste this chance.

Chris could feel his heart racing as he made his way back home with the DVR headset in his hand. He knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for. The moment that would change everything.

As he arrived home, he quickly set up the headset, making sure that everything was in place before putting it on. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to steady his nerves.